For the Sake of Others
by kmc995
Summary: Trying to suppress all the fear and worry for the sake of those around him was more tiring than he'd expected.


Hello :) I really don't know what this is. I just sort of wrote. I guess I just wanted to see some stressed Makoto and some cute sibling love.

Backstory: Papa Tachibana gets into a car accident and is in a coma.

Again, I honestly don't know why this came to me. I'm sorry.

Enjoy!

**Disclaimer****:** I DO NOT own Free! characters.

* * *

Finally alone in his room, Makoto leaned heavily against the door and sighed. The headache that he's had for the past few hours was quickly escalating into a migraine and the stress of repressing so many strong emotions from the day was finally catching up; he was exhausted. Before he could stop it, a trembling breath escaped from his lips and tears started slipping down his cheeks.

It was just too much. Trying to suppress all the fear and worry for the sake of those around him was more tiring than he'd expected. And now the agony of not knowing whether his father would be okay or not was starting to overwhelm him. To top it off he still hadn't handed in his future career paper work and had no clue how he would fill it out. Homework was piling up, tests were coming up, and the national swim competition was just around the corner.

Making his way to his desk, Makoto sat on the wooden chair and pinched the bridge of his nose in a lousy attempt to stop the hot tears. "Arggg!" Makoto groaned in frustration. He couldn't deal with all of this at once! He was just one guy!

Faintly he could hear the sounds of Ren and Ran's voices asking his mother when daddy's coming home. His mother's answer was lost through the rooms, but the tenderness of her tone was unmistakable. The twins had no idea – no idea of exactly how bad this could end up being. It must be nice to be shielded from the world. Carefree, lighthearted, untroubled. Makoto can't remember a time like that, not at the moment.

Another almost-silent sob had Makoto digging the heels of his palms against his eyes. _Calm down_, he told himself. This fit was making his head worse and his stomach flip. He needed to focus on something else. Without much hesitation, Makoto dug into his desk drawers and took out his iPod. The bulky headphones were shoved over his ears and the music promptly turned up to an almost deafening volume. Not the best solution for his piercing headache, but the droning music allowed him to focus on his breathing. _In…out. In…out_.

He could smell dinner – probably beef and rice – but he wasn't hungry. Hopefully his mom wouldn't mind him skipping out.

Soon enough his breathing evened out. It could have been minutes or hours, but the tears eventually trickled to a stop and Makoto rested his head in the fold of his arms. It had been a while since he'd cried like this; years, actually. The last time might have been when Haru's grandmother had passed. In a way it felt cathartic.

He knew he should focus his thoughts and maybe start working on the pile of homework he'd received that day, but this hazy state of mind that he was in felt calming and reassuring. He couldn't bring himself to care at this point in time. So Makoto let his thoughts drift off and, despite the loud music and the uncomfortable position, the tall brunette found himself slipping into a hopefully dreamless sleep.

_...Makoto…_

…_Makoto, wake up…_

"Hmm…?"

"Makoto, you shouldn't sleep there."

Makoto shifted and slowly pulled himself out of unconsciousness. "What…?" he mumbled.

He felt a warm hand rest on his shoulder and finally peeled open his heavy lids. Haru stood over him, a soft expression on his face as he repeated: "If you sleep like that you'll hurt in the morning."

Makoto groggily raised his head and took in his surroundings; he was in his room, at his computer desk. He doesn't remember falling asleep. Another look around and he noticed the night pouring into his window. "What time is it?" he asked unnecessarily as he checked the time on his watch. 10:17PM. He rubbed his eyes and stood up, his back popping as he straightened out of his hunched position. "What are you doing here, Haru?"

The shorter teen just stared at him for a moment, scrutinizing his face. Makoto suddenly felt self-conscious and looked to the side; his eyes might still be red from before. "I came to check up on you," he stated. "You didn't answer your phone." His eyes shot to Makoto's forgotten cell phone which he had thrown carelessly on the bed earlier.

"You called me?" Makoto asked. He can't remember the last time his friend had willingly picked up a phone. Haru narrowed his eyes and Makoto felt a little guilty. "Sorry," he placated, "I was listening to music…" He broke off as he searched for his headphones.

"You shouldn't fall asleep with your iPod on, either. Especially not with it so loud." There was something in his tone that made Makoto feel like he was being chastised for something else. Or maybe it was because he wasn't used to Haru chastising him.

"Ah, sorry Haru. I really didn't mean to." He went to pull back his sleeves – a nervous habit he'd picked up – when he realized that he was still wearing his school uniform. He made quick work unknotting his tie, welcoming the distraction as he felt Haru's piercing gaze on him. Shrugging his over-shirt off and peeling out of his undershirt, Makoto hung them over his bed and dug through his closet until he found a comfortable shirt to tug on. Twenty seconds later, his belt was undone and his sweats replaced the stiff fabric of his school slacks.

Having nothing else to focus on, Makoto reluctantly turned around and sat on the corner of his bed. Haru hadn't moved from his spot near his desk when he was changing, though he now swiftly made his way over and sat next to the brunet.

The silence wasn't awkward; it was heavy. Makoto knew why Haru was here. His family was just as much Haru's as it was his. He didn't want to talk about it, though he knew Haru had a right to know. Hugging one knee to his chest, Makoto took a deep breath, "He's…he's in a coma and they're not sure when he'll wake up." When. Not If. He refused to think If.

"Your mother told me," Haru all but whispered.

Already he could feel the prickling behind his eyes, the telltale sign of imminent tears. He quickly swallowed his emotions. He had his cry; now he needed to suck it up and put on a smile. It was a weak one, but he managed. "I…I'm really tired Haru. Do you mind if –"

"Makoto," Haru cut him off.

Makoto still refused to look at Haru face on. "Yes?"

"Are…" he paused, then continued, "Is Makoto okay?" He sounded unsure, worried.

He didn't want to worry his friend. "I'm fine."

Another pause. "Makoto..."

"I'm fine, Haru. Just tired." He blinked in surprise when Haru's ocean blue eyes suddenly captured his. He doesn't know why, but the look of concern on Haru's usually impassive face broke something in Makoto's resolve and, before he knew it, a few tears squeezed their way out.

"Goddammit," Makoto uncharacteristically cursed, angrily wiping at his eyes. Slender hands gripped his wrists and pulled them away from his face and, abruptly, pulled him into a hug. It took him a second to understand the situation at first; Haru wasn't one for tender gestures. But, indeed, it was Haru whose arms were wrapped around his torso.

Makoto buried his face against his friend's shoulder. He might have been holding Haru a little too tightly, but Haru was holding him just as hard. Makoto tried to think of the last time they had hugged like this. Again, it must have been when Haru's grandmother died. He mentally winced. Comparing the situation to the death of a loved one was only going to make him fear the worst. His father wasn't dead; his father wasn't going to die.

Full of resolve, Makoto was the first to pull away. Hugging Haru was such a rare event, though, he almost didn't. "Thank you, Haru," he said. He rubbed at his eyes again, not because of tears but because he really was tired.

Just then, a small knock was heard. "Oni-chan?" a voice chirped behind the closed door.

"You can come in, Ran."

The door slid open and a pajama-clad Ren and Ran were revealed. They shuffled in and peeked up at both Haru and him, unusually shy. "Can we sleep with Oni-chan and Haru-chan?" Ran asked, ringing the end of her night shirt.

"Just for tonight?" Ren added.

"Shouldn't you two already be in bed?" He checked the clock on his night stand; 10:39pm. Definitely past their bed time.

"We couldn't sleep because Daddy's not here." Makoto smiled sadly and gently ruffled the twin's hair. They may not know the whole truth, but they were smart enough to know when something wasn't right.

Makoto glanced at Haru. "Will you stay the night?"

"Sure," Haru said over a chorus of "Please!"

"I don't know if we'll all fit on my bed," Makoto reasoned, already up and digging through his closet a second time to find Haru something to wear.

"We will!" Ran said. "I'll curl up real small!"

"Me too!"

"Alright, alright." Makoto handed Haru some blue shorts and a salmon-colored t-shirt. "Do you mind, Haru?"

"He doesn't mind!" Ren quipped.

"I don't mind," Haru agreed, quickly removing his button down and jeans in favor of donning the clothes Makoto just gave him.

"Eh, Haru – did you already take a bath?" He grabbed an extra pillow from the linen closet right outside his door.

"I'll take one in the morning." Makoto nodded his approval as he shut his bedroom door behind him.

With that said, both Ren and Ran hopped on the bed. "I call next to Oni-chan!" Ran jumped to Makoto's lap.

"Aweee! No fair!"

"Guys, you're making Haru feel bad."

"I mean I call Haru-chan!" Ren stopped pouting and immediately curled up next to Haru.

Makoto chuckled and fished underneath his leg for his forgotten phone. Once in hand, he plugged it in and placed it next to his alarm clock. "Okay, lights out." The room was swallowed in darkness. A few shifts, shimmies, and turns later, all four were semi-comfortably squished together on Makoto's bed. Makoto hugged his little sister to his chest while Ren hugged Haru's right arm. "Goodnight."

Two "Nights," and a "Mmmh," later, and all was silent.


End file.
